Hope and Expectations
by Narfy
Summary: Some chapter oneshots about Homer and Marge and their feelings about love, family and the children that are coming into their lives. Warning: really sappy.
1. Bart

A/N: Hi guys! You're all probably wondering why I have this story up; well I will of course explain it to you. There is a lovely artist on Deviant Art named ChnProd22. Last summer she somehow discovered my story Love Thy Neighbor, I think it was thanks to UndeadSamurai, so applause to him. Either way she loved it so much that she has been illustrating scenes every now and again. I find this truly kind of her to do so and felt that I needed to do something for her in return. So I asked if she wanted me to write a one shot fanfiction. She said yes and asked for something involving Marge being pregnant with Bart, like what she and Homer thought about this situation. Well I thought it was a great idea, but I decided to go a few extra steps and do it for all three of the kids. So this story will have three chapters in all and its starting with Bart. I am going by the episode I Married Marge, so Homer has left Marge for a while so he can support them; the first part is Homer thinking about Marge, the second is Marge thinking about Homer. Now let's just start this thing.

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><p>It's two A.M.<p>

Even though I've been working through eight hour shifts for the past three days and feel exhausted, I just can't sleep. My mind is racing with thoughts about what I have put myself through, and most importantly what Marge has gone through. I keep thinking if I did the right thing by marrying her, I love her to death but I can't believe I went as far as to get her pregnant. I mean it's great that I will soon be a Dad, but will I be a good provider for him?

Working these eight hour shifts have been long and tedious, flipping burgers is not my idea of fun, and neither is sitting by the drive through waiting for some low life to show up and ask for a meal. They always want something special on that meal, extra mayo, no onions, can the hamburger have no meat in it, that of course it not possible, but I just humor them and give them a fake smile when they come up to the window. And I do it all for Marge.

I miss her so much right now, but I really don't deserve her, not a bum like me. If I was rich, things would be so much better. We could still have our rings, the baby's things, maybe even a home of our own. But poor Marge has to live with her sisters and I'm here at my best friend Barney's staring up at the ceiling and thinking about a better life and how my kid will turn out because of me.

My father was never the best provider in the world, not after my mom left any way. I was always on my own, he never really cared to show me how things were done, he just sent me out into the world and left me there. For some reason I feel that I am doing the same to…what was the name Marge wanted to call him? Either way he will come out into the world and I will not be there for him, because I am trying my best to support him.

That's the only reason I will work at my dead end job, to help Marge and the kid. They deserve the finer things in life but so far it's not been easy. I feel bad that Marge is living with her sisters and not in a nice house with me. I feel bad that I could not give her a decent wedding and one that lasted for more than five minutes. And most of all I just feel bad I made her join the castle club. This would not have happened if I ignored my manly urges, but it just goes to show, falling in love can have some serious consequences.

But you know, sometimes those consequences are for the better. Sure I feel bad knocking Marge up and changing our lives forever, but you know in the end it will probably be worth it. I know someday I'll get a better job with a better pay, one that can support all three of us. We can have a place of our own, with a swing set in the backyard, maybe even a dog, and hell maybe one day we could have another kid.

Yup in five hours I will have to get up and get ready for work, in five hours I will be making minimum wage for my new wife and son, most of the money will be for them and I'm okay with that. I just hope that one day my son will grow up with his old man. I want to teach him all the things in life that will be fun. I want to teach him how to play catch, I want to show him how to catch fireflies in the moonlight, and maybe even one day show him how to shoot a gun, well if Marge approves first. I just want a happy family, but I wish I would have put my foot in the right door first.

Sometimes I do wonder if Marge picked the right guy, she could have run off with Artie Ziff in a heartbeat. I know he is successful now, making lots of money thanks to his degree in college, Marge could go for him instead, but she hasn't, she has stayed by my side, keeping me happy and proud to have her call me her husband. What more could a man want, well besides those things I've been thinking of.

I know I got to think positive, I got to keep moving on for Marge and the baby, I have to provide for them and be a loving husband and father. I do not want to turn out like my Dad, I want to remain proud and strong and glad that I have a family to love and cherish, I do not want to abandon them in any way. Like I promised Marge, I hope to become the man I should be when I see her again, I hope I can succeed.

As I lay here at two in the morning, I think about my future, I don't sleep, I just think. It's not healthy I know and I have to get up in five hours. But my love for Marge is so strong I have to wonder if she thinks about these things too, is she up late wondering about our future? I bet she is, and most likely wishing I was there with her, in the same bed, watching the baby kick, and dreaming happy dreams beside me.

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><p>My little Bart will not be due for another two weeks; though at the moment it feels like he wants to come out. I'm trying to sleep but can't, I drift off for just a few moments before I feel him kicking again. Sleep has been hard these past few days; besides the baby kicking I can't stop thinking about Homer and whether or not he's okay. I know he is trying to provide for us and keep our family together, but I wish he can do it with me and not be somewhere else.<p>

I know he said I deserve the finer things in life, but I really don't deserve them when he is away trying to help us. He should be with me even if he doesn't have the money to help me, he should be watching the baby grow and know how strong he is getting. I am not going to lie, this kid is going to be a tough little thing, I just hope Homer will be there to help take care of him.

I know he will be a good father if he comes back and I will be a great mother. We will be one happy little family, as long as he comes back and makes us happy. I don't mind if we cannot afford a ring or a good house, as long as we are together we can get through this without a problem. Sure my sisters can get a little annoying, but they have never experienced love like I have and it's a love that can never be broken. They don't know the sweet and sensitive side of my Homer because they don't give him a chance; they just seem him as a stupid oaf without a future. But where are their futures, I have yet to see both of them in a good relationship with someone.

Homer told me that I would see him again when he becomes a man, but when does he think that will happen? I think he is a man already, strong and determined, ready to do anything for the woman he loves. But I know he has different ideas than me, I know we should have waited a few more years to get married, but we were so in love that we got carried away, this brought about a consequence that grows every day, bringing a new change to our lives soon.

I look down at my stomach, I look like I am about ready to pop, I know it's soon; he is starting to move more. It's such a strange feeling to have something growing inside you. At first it doesn't feel like anything, just a difference in behavior, next as the months go by your stomach gets bigger and new feelings begin to show. It can be very nerve wracking at times because you have no idea if what is happening is a good thing. I just hope he is healthy and strong, like his father. I hope he knows his father too, I don't care what it takes I need to somehow get Homer back.

But how can I? I know he is ashamed and feeling unwanted, but I do want him, I do want him to be here even though he cannot give me the finer things in life. I love him dearly, and no man can ever replace him. Some men will run away and not even help with the baby, but Homer is not that kind of guy, he is not heartless. He is loyal and kind, something I am proud of him for, I just hope his loyalty returns him to me. I hope we will watch our child grow up while we grow old together. I hope things will work out right and that when he returns; nothing will keep us apart again. I hope that one day my family will see how happy we are together and that things turned out the way they should have.

I hope.

I let out a sigh and stare at the window in my room. The wind is blowing steady, but not too strong, I know morning will come soon and it will be another day where I will wait for Homer to show up again and take me in his arms and carry me to the place we should go. If only it would happen now. I close my eyes, hoping to get some more sleep, hoping that Little Bart will not kick again so I can rest for his sake.

I start to drift off, but moments later I wake up again and it's not from Bart. I hear something outside. Is it Homer? Carefully I pull myself out of bed and make my way to the front door to see if Homer has returned. I open the door and see that the sun is just about to come up over the horizon, but that is all, no one is up yet except for me, waiting foolishly for my knight in shining armor to return. I let out a sigh and let the cool morning breeze blow softly against my face while I wonder if I should bother going back to bed.

"Marge, why are you up, you need your rest dear." I hear my sister Selma's voice calling to me as she walks down the stairs; I guess I woke her up without realizing it.

"Oh I heard a noise outside and thought it might be Homer," I reply with a frown.

I know she wouldn't care about that, but its best to tell her what was going on and letting her know how lonely I am without my husband. I hear Selma let out an unhappy sigh.

"Marge, I got two and a half words for you: Gulp 'N Blow," Selma says.

I turn back to Selma with a curious face, unsure what she is saying. "What do you mean?"

"I mean he's at the Gulp 'N Blow down the street. I saw him the other day making our tacos. They were lousy tacos from a lousy guy but that's probably because he looked miserable without you," Selma shrugged.

I stare back at Selma for a moment, she only gives me a concerned smile before patting me on the shoulder and walking away to go back to sleep. That was her way of saying that she did not care what I did as long as it made me happy.

"I'm going to see him," I said to myself, and without another word I grab the keys to my car and make my way to the nearby Gulp 'N Blow. I cannot wait any longer, I cannot go by for so many weeks and months without him.

The drive is only fifteen minutes, but because I am so anxious to see my husband it feels like years. I know it's a long shot that he might be there at the moment, but I want to try, I want to see if he is there so I can see him again and tell him to come home. I hope I can get him to change his mind.

I see the sign for the Gulp 'N Blow a few blocks down as I come to a red light, which of course takes forever as I wait patiently for it to turn green and bring me closer. It finally happens and I floor it toward the restaurant hoping he is there. I know the dining room would be closed this early in the morning, but I know that the drive through is not. I make my way through it and wait to hear the voice on the other end.

"Yeah, what do you want?" a sad voice says behind the speaker. I know it's Homer I can never forget that voice, and it sounds so sad and lonely.

"My husband by my side," I reply hopefully.

"You want fries with that?" He asks still in an unhappy voice.

"Homer?" I call out to him.

There is a long pause as I wait for him to call out. "Marge?"

Moments later I see him coming out of the restaurant and looking back at me with surprise. I cannot wait a moment longer and jump out of the car and run toward him. There I embrace him and I will never let him go.

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><p>AN: And there is the first part of my three part one shot. Hope you all enjoyed that, I know it was shorter than what I have been writing but I didn't want to repeat myself too much. I hope to do the next part in about a month; I think a month is a good wait for these since I got that other story to do. So if you like it please review and when you get the chance, visit Chnprod's page on Deviant Art, it's a different style of the Simpsons, but a very well done one at that, and I love seeing new stuff by her. Well, see you all very soon.


	2. Lisa

I must admit, sleeping alone is not as cool as it once was. Sure you have all the room you need to yourself on the bed, but once you have a wife, things feel so empty when she is away. For three full nights I was alone without Marge while she was in the hospital after giving birth to our second child Lisa. At first I thought the idea was great, more room for me for a few days, but then on the first night as I lay there, I realized I had no one to hold on to. It's definitely a crushing experience, and I hope nothing horrible ever happens to Marge because you never realize how much you miss your wife until they leave you for a while.

But the loneliness is gone for the moment, thank God. Marge came home this afternoon with Lisa in tow. She is a darling little thing, so tiny and so innocent, unlike Bart who had the mischievous look in his eyes the minute he burst from the womb. Of course, looks can be deceiving; maybe she is hiding it for a few months before she shows her true colors. Or maybe I am just paranoid, that can happen to any Dad after they've seen what their two year old can do.

Oh well, for now though I can enjoy the company of my wife by my side, she is sound asleep now, I can hear her soft breathing against the pillow. It had been a rough labor for her, shorter than Bart's but still longer than it should have been. This is of course the reason as to why I am awake; I am on cry patrol tonight. Marge needs her rest, I do too but I know that if I fall asleep I won't wake up unless Marge gives me a good shake, and I really don't want that to happen. So I think it's best to try little cat naps while waiting for the cry of a hungry baby.

But sometimes comfort is important too, I decide to turn over and face Marge, her back is toward me so I snuggle in closer to her and put my arm on her side. Even though she is sound asleep, her hand takes mine and I let out a sigh of approval. Yeah life is good. It's had its ups and downs, but really I think it's a good life. Sure both the kids were a real surprise, but that's what makes it interesting. Yeah Bart can be a real handful and a pain in the ass, but I still love him and want to take care of him. Like Marge says, he's our special little guy and now we have a special little girl too.

I smile at the thought of little Lisa and her cute little face that looked back at me for the first time moments after she was born. I was such a proud father, I still am too, it feels great to know you helped create the little miracle. That is until you hear them crying, which is exactly what Lisa is doing according to the baby monitor. For a moment, it's just a quick soft cry, nothing that sounded serious to me. She was probably dreaming in her sleep. Until another cry comes through the system, yup she needs me. Of course I am comfortable now and I don't want to leave, maybe she will stop soon and no one will notice.

"Homie?" I hear Marge say as she lets go of my hand. Well I guess I can't pretend any more.

"I'm on it," I said quietly as I sit up in bed and put my pants and shirt on before stumbling around in the room to find the way out. Time to be a good Daddy.

I enter the room adjacent to ours, a room that we turned into a nursery just for Lisa, the crib used to be Bart's, so of course he was little upset when we moved him to another bed. But I made up for it by making it fun and created a clown on the frame. I thought it looked nice, Bart…well I am not sure what he thinks really.

Lisa is lying on her back at the moment, crying her little heart out. Marge said she would most likely be hungry, of course I would have to change diapers shortly after feeding her but it's what us parents have to go through I guess. I pick her up gently and hold her in my arms; she continues to cry until I rock her back and forth and talk to her quietly.

"It's okay Lisa, Daddy's here for you," I say softly. Apparently that was enough to get her to stop as she slowly calms down while I walk down the stairs to the kitchen. While doing that, she looks up at me with curious little eyes and I can't help but smile.

I reach the kitchen and open the refrigerator and find a small jar of milk labeled "Breast milk: do not drink unless you are a baby." I think it's a good warning, I already learned that mistake once when Bart was as tiny as Lisa. Definitely not a pleasant taste. I pour some into Lisa's bottle and then warm it up in the microwave while Lisa quietly sobs, good thing she is not crying the entire time. I really don't want that this late in the hour any way.

Luckily waiting for the milk to warm doesn't take long and I carry Lisa into the living room and let her feed. Apparently she was very hungry as she took to the milk right away and made happy cooing noises as she drank. She sounded so relieved and happy to have someone rescue her and feed her, and truthfully I was happy to be there for her.

Sure it's really Marge's job to take care of the kids at this age but truthfully, I think it's a good thing to be forced into a late night feeding. It's so quiet in the house this late at night, I can hear the house creaking and crickets chirping outside. It's late enough that everyone is home and you can't even hear a car drive down the road. It's just a nice feeling to sit here alone with my brand new little girl and think about the little things.

Now that she is here, I'm starting to wonder now about her future. I can see in my mind as she grows up to be a beautiful little girl wearing all the cute little dresses her mother bought her. Of course I would not buy those things, Marge has better fashion sense than I do, knowing me I would just find something that resembles a shirt like a potato sack and put it on her. And even though it was a potato sack, I think she would still look cute in it. I can see her skipping off to school with her brother and always excited about new things. In a few months she will be crawling, then she will learn to walk, and then I will hear her cute little voice calling to me while she plays.

I hope I can do my best to raise her right; so far raising Bart has been no pic nic, but I know things will turn out alright in the end, they always have any way. I didn't think I would be living with Bart and Marge when we first started out. I had to work to make sure Marge could take care of her new son. But you can never be away from the one you love forever, the feeling to be with them is too strong and the longer you go without seeing them, the more you're heart urges you to find them.

Still though, I really hope I can give her the finer things, I have a good home for her now, but I know she is going to need to go to a good school when she is older. And I just really hope I can be the best Dad I can be. I guess feeding her and changing her diaper is a good start. In twenty-two years I could be walking her down the aisle. Now that's something worth waiting for.

Lisa is still chugging away at the bottle and I am starting to feel a little groggy, hopefully when she is finished I can sleep soundly for a few more hours before she cries for me again. I let out a yawn and adjust myself on the couch before I hear movement by the stairs behind me. Startled, I look up only to find Bart is wide awake and watching me from the stairs. He should be sound asleep like his mother, but I'm guessing Lisa made enough noise to wake him up for a bit.

"Hey Bart," I say quietly and in a friendly manner letting him know that he was welcome to join me.

Bart stares back at me for a moment, knowing that he has been caught watching me. Slowly he descends the rest of the staircase and slowly makes his way over to Lisa and me.

"What are you doing down here?" I ask as he climbs onto the couch and sits next to me.

"I heard Lisa crying and I decided to come down and watch you," Bart said as he let his legs dangle off the couch.

"Well you should be sleeping, Mommy doesn't like a cranky little boy in the morning," I reply.

"I know…but I've been thinking," Bart begins to say. "…Now that you have Lisa, does this mean you will get rid of me?"

I stare back at Bart, a little startled that he would ask something like that. But I guess that makes sense seeing as how he is often getting into mischief. But he can't help it, he is just a rambunctious two year old, it will grow out with time. I know that by the time he's five, he'll be calmer and not so bouncy like he has been.

"Now why would you say a thing like that?" I ask.

"Well because I make messes and get into trouble. I heard you say that I'm making you lose your hair," Bart replied with a sad look in his eyes that made me feel a little bad for saying something like that. Well it was true, I was losing my hair, might be from the nuclear power plant really, or it could be from him. Who knows, I guess I'll find out by the time he's five.

"But just because you make messes does not mean I don't want you anymore," I reply calmly. I can't put my arms around him since I am holding Lisa and don't want to drop her.

"Really?" asked Bart.

"Of course we want to keep you, you're our special little guy, no one can ever replace you, not even Lisa. You're our little boy and she is our little girl," I tell him hoping that will make him feel better.

"Really?" Bart asks again.

"Yes Bart, we love you very much," I say again.

"Really?"

"Really!" This time I say it a little annoyed so he can stop asking.

"Are we keeping Lisa too?" Bart asks.

"Yes we are," I say with a smile as I notice that Lisa is nearly done with her bottle.

"How long?" Bart asks. Boy for a young kid, he really knows how to ask questions late at night.

"For ever and ever," I say with a smile as Lisa sucks down the last of the milk.

"Me too?"

"You too," I reply as I set down the bottle and put her on my shoulders to burp her.

"Can I hold her?"

"Not tonight Bart, besides you're too little to hold her, and Daddy needs her to burp or she will have an upset tummy," I reply.

"What happens if she has an upset tummy?" Bart asks.

As if on cue, I could feel her stomach rattling as I pat her on the back and before I could even think about holding her in a different way, I felt a very warm feeling hit me behind my back. Apparently she had eaten too quickly and her tiny little stomach could not digest it very well. Now I had the remains of it on the back of my shirt and on the couch. At least it wasn't the mother of all spit up; Bart won that competition when he was three weeks old. I was holding him in the air and then got a mouth full of barf; I was tasting that stale breast milk for weeks afterward.

I let out a sigh and hold Lisa in front of me; she looks back at me with a smile on her face, like she meant to do that. I hope it's not the start of the mischief, heaven forbid both of them start a little mob and wreak the place. Nah Lisa would never do that, she just looks to innocent.

"Ewww, Daddy what's that on the couch?" Bart asks as he points to the barf she left behind.

"Another reason why you can't hold her," I tell him.

Bart looks from the couch over to me and Lisa before eyeing the couch one more time before giving it a disgusted look. "Yeah Daddy, that's your job."

"I'm glad you agree," I say rather sarcastically. Of course cleaning up would have to wait. Not only did she let loose most of the milk on the good end, but I could smell something cooking in the basement. Time for a diaper change.

Quietly I climb up the stairs with Bart in tow and make our way into the nursery. I set Lisa down on the changing table and get to work while Bart clings to my leg and tries to watch me do a job I was never fond of doing. He doesn't say a word and I'm fine with that, we are sort of near our bedroom and Marge needs her rest. I can't make too much noise or I would upset her. For about five minutes I clean my little girl up, while trying to hold my nose at the same time until finally all is said and done and it's time to put her back in the crib. But first I have to maneuver around Bart.

"Okay Bart, you need to let go for a minute so I can put Lisa away," I say calmly.

But Bart doesn't answer or move, I look down to see what he is doing and I discover that he has fallen asleep between my legs, his tiny hand still clinging to my leg while he sucks his thumb with the other, his head leaning against me for a pillow. I smile and quietly bend down to unhook the boy from my leg; he lets out a small cry but doesn't wake up. Instead he just puts his arm under his head and continues to sleep. I guess he wasn't as awake as I thought he was. Quietly I make my way to the crib and set little Lisa down. She too is fast asleep now and I know she will be that way until at least sometime early in the morning.

I put a blanket over her before turning over to Bart; I pick him up carefully and let him sleep on my shoulder as I bring him to his room. As I enter it, I am a little startled by the clown bedpost; I guess I had not seen it enough at night to realize that Bart was right about it being a little scary. I guess I should fix that problem in the future. Bart shouldn't have any nightmares over that. Luckily he is sound asleep and doesn't care where he is. I give him a light kiss on the forehead and then cover him up with the blanket before making my way out the door.

I'm exhausted now and ready for some sleep, but that's gonna have to wait for a few minutes; it's time to clean up the mess Lisa left behind. As I descend the staircase, I think about how nice it is to be with my children for a few quiet minutes. It was a great feeling to be with them and I hope I get another opportunity soon, well just as long as Bart behaves like he did tonight.

If you would have asked me five years ago what I thought about having kids, I would have probably laughed at you and claimed that kids were nothing but a burden and nuisance. But now that I have had them, I know it's not all true, sure you have to clean up after them and discipline them, but every day brings about something new and exciting with them. And every day you wonder what is going to happen. Yeah I actually like being a Dad and I don't think I would want it any other way.

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><p>AN: Well there is part two of my little series for my good friend Chnprod, as you can see its much more cutesy poo than the last one. And you know i kind of enjoyed it. I hope I got Homer right too, he is a little tough to get right when you work on his thoughts only. So I hope you all thought it was okay. Part three will focus on Maggie, I think I have an idea of what I want to do but if anyone has an idea let me know and I will consider it.

Finally on another note, the next chapter of The Way We Never Should Have Been may be delayed if I cannot get it done by the end of the month. I am going on a road trip on memorial day and for a week I will be going back home with a friend so if you don't hear from me that is the reason. But I will return I promise. In the meantime please review.


	3. Maggie

Pork chop night, a night that is rarely missed by my family, mainly because Homer claims I make them to perfection. The kids love it too, they say that the slices of meat are tender enough to make it extremely juicy and delicious, there is rarely any fat, and if there is, it's just scooted aside to be thrown away later or given to the cat who seems to enjoy it. No one complains, they eat it with vigor and compliment me on another delicious night of pork chops, along with a scoop of apple sauce that disappears as quickly as the pork chops. It's something I always enjoy making for them; I always prepare them with love and care even on nights like tonight.

Of course tonight I knew things would not go well, I knew it the moment I walked into the supermarket and had to buy a new brand of pork chops that were cheaper due to the financial situation we are in now. Homer decided to change jobs; he wanted his dream job working as a pin monkey at a local bowling alley. He had wanted to do this for years and now that he was out of debt, he was ready to move on. Of course I am still not convinced it's the best job in the world, he could have taken the job part time, that could have helped him with his debt issue but of course I don't think like him.

Don't get me wrong though, I still love him to death, it's just that he goes for things a little too quickly and usually without my consent, this was one of them so of course I was rather surprised when he told me. But he made up for it by taking me on a romantic night on the town a night that was a lot of fun and amazing. Though it did bring about a little surprise inside me when I learned I was late a few weeks later.

I kept it secret from Homer for five months, but how can you keep it a secret for so long when your stomach gets a little bigger every day? Luckily for me, Homer is so caught up in watching movies and working at the bowling alley that he did not notice my change until the baby shower. It's been a week now and so far he doesn't seem very happy about it. He's tried to get more people to visit the bowling alley but without much success and due to this, he hasn't gotten a raise. He knows that sooner or later he's going to have to return to the nuclear plant whether he likes it or not to support us. Living the way we have been now is not going to work out and I know this once I bring the food to the table.

Like I said, these pork chops were cheaper and another brand, not the best kind in the world and once they came out of the oven I realized that they definitely did not have the same quality. For one thing they are fattier and definitely not as tender. The apple sauce remains the same and that's the only thing that really looks edible at the moment. I can tell Homer and the kids are not pleased with me by the looks on their faces as they stare down at the so called pork chops. I can tell Lisa wants to humor me as she picks up her knife and fork as she tries to cut hers up. I can hear the knife rub up against the meat like it is made of rubber and at that moment I realized that things are definitely not working out.

"What the hell is this?" Bart suddenly blurts out as he picks up his pork chop and waves it around like a dog chew toy.

"Bart!" Homer yells angrily back at him for asking such a horrible question before turning to me with an upset look in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, but that's all I could afford tonight," I reply with a sigh while I try my best to cut up my pork chop.

"Did you go to the dog food store or something?" Bart replied again while this time he took a bite hoping that his teeth would cut it up better than the knife.

"Bart! Even though it is crap, you're mother worked hard on this so show a little support. She couldn't help it if she had to get something not as edible what with the baby on the way and it taking up all our monetary expenses," Homer said as he stared at me. I did not like this one bit, sure Bart was being rude, but what Homer just said made my skin itch as if it was only my fault the baby was coming.

"Well if you didn't change jobs suddenly we wouldn't be in this mess!" I reply angrily.

"And if you didn't have a bun in the oven we'd be financially stable!" Homer yelled back as he was finally able to cut a piece of pork chop off.

"Well it wasn't exactly planned now wasn't it?" I ask angrily knowing that I could not stop the change that would happen in a few months.

"Well if you used birth control like all other women we wouldn't be in this mess!" Homer cried back, bits of food flying out of his mouth.

"Well there is also something called protection there Homer!" I say angrily.

Homer stares back at me; I have never seen him this angry before, if he could I bet he would have steam coming out of his ears. And thank God he loved me enough to not strike me, I knew he probably wanted to, his fists were clenched, but I knew he would not harm me in any way. He was only angry with t he change being made, nothing more, I really hope this will blow over in a few weeks. I know I ruined his chance of happiness, but if he thought about it, he did too, he was the one who helped bring the child I am carrying into the world. And some things can't be stopped, when the baby comes, it comes and there really is nothing you can do about it. I know some people would beg to differ, but I am not one of those people, I'd rather not get into that though.

"Umm…sorry to interrupt, but I just want to say that I'm actually happy to have a new baby brother or sister coming into our lives," Lisa suddenly calls out with a shy and quiet voice. Her face is the look of worry, almost like something bad would happen between Homer and I and that she is stopping whatever it is from happening.

"I am too, I think it would be fun, I could teach him to be badass like me," Bart says. I knew he was helping Lisa in this argument.

"How do you even know it's a boy?" Lisa asks.

"Because like I said the other day, boy girl, boy girl," Bare replies.

"And what's if it's not a boy?" Lisa asks.

"Then I'll teach her to be badass, I would have taught you, but well…I was busy learning the ropes still," Bart replied in a cool tone, I could see Lisa rolling her eyes. Of course Homer was still not ready to give up the argument.

"Oh really, you two would like that huh? You would like all the crying in the middle of the night? How about cleaning up after the baby with its dirty diaper and then have it barf all over you? And I bet you would like getting crappy pork chop meals every week, along with some meatloaf substitute on Wednesdays and imitation gruel on Thursdays? Why I bet you would love to have secondhand stuff for Christmas because we can't afford all the nice things thanks to this so called bundle of joy," Homer said angrily back at Bart and Lisa who were of course taken aback by his outburst. I would not blame them, speaking out to the kids like this is not a proper way of being a father and I of course did not approve.

"Gee Dad were you like this before I was born?" Bart said angrily.

"I don't remember!" Homer said with a huff.

"Well if you remember it or not, I don't like how your tone of voice right now Homer, just because you are not doing well with the bowling alley does not mean you should take it out on me or the kids. We have feelings too you know and you have to accept that sometimes things change be they for the better or worse," I say as sternly as I can. I am actually a bit shaken up by this now and I can actually feel the baby kicking as if it knows something is going on.

Homer stares at me for a minute, like he is going to say something back; I know he wants to, I can feel it all the way on my side of the table. But he remains silent; instead he gets up and takes his plate into the kitchen. I hear him drop it into the sink before he stomps his way up the stairs before returning with his shoes on and his keys in his hand. He doesn't have to tell me where he's going, I know exactly where he plans to go, but of course he decides to bring the last word out.

"I'm going to Moe's now, I'll be back when I feel like it," he replies before slamming the door behind him.

I hear the car screeching out of the driveway as he heads off to Moe's, I know he will not return until at least after two. I am now alone with the kids, who are both staring at the closed door with wide eyes on their faces. What Homer did was unacceptable and hurtful. I was worried now; would he even care for this new baby that would be born soon? Would he always be this angry from now on? What was even worse was the thought of what might happen if he came home after drinking.

"Mom are you okay?" Lisa asks me. I didn't even realize that I was now shaking, either from what has just happened or the thought of Homer coming home in a drunken rage. Either way, both are not good. But I remain calm for the children and try not to show them my worries

"Yes, sweetheart, I'm fine. Since you're father has left us for the evening, you both may bring your dinner in the living room," I reply before letting out a sigh.

Both Bart and Lisa smile happily and pick up their plates to bring to the living room. I have no idea if they will actually finish the meal, but I'm okay with that, it's not the best thing I've made that's for sure.

"So what do you think we should call our new brother or sister?" I hear Lisa say as they walk away.

"If it's a boy I think we should call him some really cool action star name like Sylvester and if it's a girl I say Angelina," I hear Bart reply.

I hear Lisa say something back, but now that they are behind a wall, I am unable to hear her. And now I am left alone in the dining room with my meal, at the moment though I have no thoughts of finishing it. My stomach is churning too much to want to and I am starting to feel the regret of having a new member of the household living with us. But I know I must carry on, with or without Homer. I just need to stay strong first, but I know that's hard to do. I feel the tears fall down my face as I begin to wonder if there will be any luck in the future for this new family member.

* * *

><p>Homer's thoughts.<p>

Tonight is not a good night for me. I've never felt so angry in all my life before, and I can't believe the family has sunk low enough for Marge to serve us imitation pork chops. Pork Chops are the greatest thing in the world, there should be a law against serving it that way, it's just disgusting and vile and not tasty at all. And it's all thanks to that bun in the oven. This is just great, it's another mouth to feed and another kid that will hassle me night and day about wanting something. I guess ten more years is out of the question. Now it's back to eighteen years of dealing with kid crap from diapers, to college. My goodness, three kids and college, I guess I am not meant to have a happy retirement until I'm ninety-nine, if I live to be that long.

I can't believe this has happened, it sucks so much! All I wanted was to have a happy life working in a bowling alley, something better than that slave job at the nuclear plant. But now I apparently have to go back now that I scared off all the customers at the bowling alley. It's just not fare, why did Marge have to go and have this kid. I didn't want another one, two are definitely enough, that's all I can handle. Now it's time for me to relive the diaper years which includes changing them and getting barf all over your face. Oh man I can't wait for that! Not!

I let out a heavy sigh, I've been thinking so much that I've barely noticed that I am at my destination until I park my car. Did I run any red lights? Oh well, all I know is, my friends are in the bar and they can help me through this. They can tell me that I'm right and that what is going on really is a mistake. Then we will laugh about it until two am before I stumble home. Of course I will probably sleep on the couch, but who would want to when their wife is in your bed with a bulging belly and the whole time you lay against her you feel the child moving inside of her. No thanks, I don't that anymore tonight.

I finally enter the bar; Moe is there waiting for me, along with Barney, Lenny, Carl, and a few other barflies whose names I always forget. They all turn to me and mutter a hello before looking back down at the beer they are drinking.

"Hey Homah, I see you're here a little early tonight," Moe says as he starts filling up a mug with beer.

"Yeah I got into an argument with Marge, so I came here to calm down," I reply as I take my seat next to Barney who seems to now be in a state of drunken stupor. Not fully aware of where he is and why he is there, usually it takes him longer, probably at least until eleven, but I guess everyone is early today.

"Oh martial trouble huh? Whatja do ruin her favorite dress?" asked Carl.

"No," I reply before taking a big swig of beer.

"Did you call her ugly?" Lenny asked.

"No, of course not!" I reply. I would never say such a thing like that to Marge; she is too beautiful to ever be ugly.

"Didja forget to pick one of the kids up from school?" Moe asked.

"It's summer, so definitely not. No guys, it's the new baby, and because of this so called bundle of joy I can't work at the bowling alley any more. My lifelong dream is over," I reply before taking another swig of beer.

I wait for a response from the guys, but neither of them say anything; instead they all stare at me like I am a life form from another world, even Barney before he covers his eyes again and lets out a loud burp.

"Aww is the little baby not getting his wowwypop?" Moe finally says after the long awkward moments of silence.

"Well not until it turns two, don't want it to choke now do we," I reply a bit sarcastically.

Moe growls at me and takes the mug of beer out of my hand, he doesn't bother to refill it, he just stands there and stares at me with anger in his eyes. Lenny and Carl do the same before Moe sets the mug back down without refilling it. "Homah, you think this is my dream job?"

"…Yeah," I say a little worriedly.

"Well guess what, it ain't. I could actually be working at a bar down in Key West selling Mai Tai's to beautiful women but I'm not, ya know why?" Moe asked.

"Because Mai Tai's are Hawaiian?" I ask.

"No you dumbass, it's because a friggen hurricane ruined my chances, and do you see me complaining about it. Hell no!" Moe said. "It's like the old saying says, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Sure your ruined your life with another kid, but you'll find your own way around that to make yourself happy, ya get what I'm saying?"

"Yeah sort of," I reply. Truthfully it made no sense to me and I really don't think Moe understood what was going on between me and and everyone else. I loved the bowling alley, it was laid back and easy, I was happier and life was perfect. But now that I have another mouth to feed, I won't be able to enjoy it without Marge nagging me about money issues. It just wasn't fair.

"Yeah you're not getting it," Moe replied grumpily as he took my mug of beer away from me.

"Well what the hell am I supposed to do? Be glad that this child is ruining my life? Should I live a miserable life just to make everyone else happy. I want to be happy too you know," I reply as I try to reach for my mug.

"Homah, act your age, not your shoe size. Be glad you have a healthy family with a baby on the way. Be happy you have a wonderful home and good food with a loving wife. Hell be happy with what you have in general. What if the kids have a disease or something or Marge left you for another man? Those things can be a whole lot worse than just a baby coming trust me," Moe replied.

"And think about it Homer, you're more successful than any of us because you have those things," said Carl.

"You think so huh?" I ask.

"Oh yeah, none of us are married and have kids, we are just lonely bachelors who have never found true love like you. We envy you for that actually since we've never had the chance for anyone else to fall in love with us. I would be so thrilled to see another kid in the family even if I was poor. Besides, money isn't everything you know," Lenny said.

"Yeah, they love you, I bet you would be a whole lot miserable if you didn't have them by your side," Moe said.

I sat there listening to Moe and the guys words and now I finally began to realize how important my family really is. Sure this new baby was messing things up, but you know at least I still had everything I needed to bring this baby into the world. Sure I would be unhappy, but now that I think about it. Marge needs to be happy too. She works her butt off keeping us together and then I treat her like dirt by complaining about everything. Moe is right, she could be cheating on me with someone who is better looking and has a better job than me. But no she chooses to stay by my side and support me, yet I don't support her. I would never cheat on her, I can't even think about that without feeling terrible. She needs my support, I know I can't do it with anything fancy thanks to our money issues but I know I can at least help her through this pregnancy whether I like it or not. The baby is coming and we can't stop it, we just got to go with the flow, make lemonade like Moe just said. It sucks yes but I need to accept it and hope for the best, that the baby is healthy and so is Marge.

"I guess I should go home and set things straight," I reply sheepishly.

"Yeah you better, don't make me kick you out of this place and have Lenny drag you back home," Moe says while Lenny only nods stupidly before realizing what Moe just said.

"You think a guy like me can drag a guy like him?" Lenny asks.

"With enough adrenaline sure," Moe says.

"Dragging me won't be necessary," I reply. And without a second thought, I leave my bar stool and head out the door in search of the woman I love.

* * *

><p>Marge's thoughts<p>

After that argument with Homer, I'm not feeling well and have decided to go to bed early. I've been laying in bed for an hour now, thinking about what Homer said and worrying about how things will end up. Will he want to separate from me or will he learn to accept it? I have no idea, all I know is that after thinking things over, I've been crying, my cheeks are red and my pillow is damp from crying on it. I really don't know what to do. Yes the child was a surprise and I now feel its my fault, I haven't been taking the pills for a few months now. I should have, it would save me from the aggravation and sadness I am under.

I continue to lie there and sob quietly when I suddenly hear Homer's car pull into the driveway. I am a little surprised by this, I wasn't expecting him home until at least two thirty. Maybe he already had enough and wants to yell at me some more. I know I should probably fake sleeping, he would probably leave me alone until morning and sleep on the couch until then. I pull my head under the covers and listen as he shuts the car door and makes his way in the house and climbs up the stares to our room. He opens the door but he doesn't say anything. There is a long moment of silence before I finally hear shuffling by our closet before things become silent again. What is he doing? Does he have a gun? I shake a little at the thought and hold my breath hoping things would be okay, I'm too afraid to look.

"Marge?" He calls out to me, softly, in a voice that sounds concerned.

I take a minute to respond before finally pulling back the blanket. "What is it Homer?" I try to ask in a gruff tone, but I know from the crying I've been doing it does not help.

He is silent for a long time as he stares back at me with sad looking eyes. I can tell he regretted what he said earlier, he must have thought things over. "I'm sorry..." he finally says.

I sit up in bed and turn on the light to see him more clearly. He has put his pajamas on and he looks a bit upset and ready to sleep on the couch like he has done countless times before when we've had a bad argument. But this time I can tell he has thought things through really hard and it looks like he is about to cry. Without another word I accept his apology and pat the side he sleeps on with a smile on my face.

Homer slowly makes his way to the bed and before long he is sitting beside me, tears finally falling down his face, he must know I love him enough just to accept his apology and let him sleep with me tonight.

"I talked to the guys at the bar, and they made me realize how amazing you really are. And this shouldn't be something to be upset over, this should be something to celebrate. I know it's ruining my chances at my dream job, but I love you more and I want you to be happy," he says with tears streaming down his face. What he says moves me enough to cry as well.

"Does that mean you are going back to the plant?" I ask.

"I'm gonna try, I don't know if I will be lucky enough or not, but I will try," Homer says as he wipes the tears out of his eyes.

"That's all I'm asking for," I reply with a sigh as I reach over and give him a kiss on the cheek.

Homer smiles back at me and holds my hand while he looks down at the baby bump. Ever since Homer knew about it, I seem to be getting bigger everyday, it's almost like she tried to hide from him until he found out, or maybe I am just now noticing. Either way I realize that in two months time, it will enter the world and be part of the Simpson clan. I look back up at Homer and there is a smile on his face while a tear rolls down his cheek. I think he is beginning to accept the change.

"Can I feel?" he asks.

"Of course Homie," I reply.

Homer lets go of my hand and puts his hand on my stomach to feel the baby. She's not kicking at the moment, but it doesn't matter to Homer, he has a huge smile on his face as he knows he is going to be a new father one more time, at least I hope so any way. Finally I put my hand on his and together we massage my stomach, soothing the baby after the long, hard day.

Finally Homer leans forward and kisses my forehead before hugging me tightly, bu not too tightly, he does not want to hurt the baby. For such a big man, he can sure be gentle sometimes, and I am very glad to have him by my side even though he does act like a baby himself. But he is better than most men, I give him credit for that. He has a strong heart and is very loyal to me and the kids. I now know he will be a good father to this new addition and I couldn't be any more prouder.

"So have you thought of a name for it?" He asked.

"Not really," I say nervously. "I was hoping you would help me."

"Of course," Homer says and thinks about it for a long moment. "How about Princess Peach if its a girl."

I let out a small laugh before before I cuff him lightly in the shoulder. "That just won't do," I reply trying my hardest not to laugh more than I have to.

"How about Louie if its a guy?" Homer asks.

"You said no the first time, because of Screwy Louie," I say.

"Oh yeah," He says with a silly grin before continues to think.

"We still have a few months you know," I reply.

Homer smiles before digging himself deeper into the covers. "Then let's cuddle."

Without a second thought, I join him deeper into the covers and embrace him and show how much I love him even through the hardest times.

* * *

><p>AN: And there's part three of Hope and Expectations. Truthfully I don't think it met my expectations, I was actually gonna do a whole thing with Bart and Lisa, but it was so boring I just couldn't do it. So this one came out and well its a bit better but, yeah I think I can do better. Still I wanted to get this done, been holding it off for far too long and I hate making people wait and Chnprod has been very excited to read this one. But still let me know what you think.

Now two important things I need to tell you, well the first one is more of a question than anything else. I've actually enjoyed writing these, so much so that I keep thinking up more little snippet stories including ones about the kids being older and how Marge and Homer feel about being empty nesters, and Homer and Marge getting old and hell even little snippets from before Love Thy Neighbor where Homer thinks about his family before he passes on and even the morning after he leaves them. So I am curious to know if you guys are interested in me doing more of these, please let me know, if not I will just call this complete and be done with it.

Second, I've been a little frustrated with my writing and other little things I shouldn't be frustrated about, but I am any way, probably because I am a girl. So because of that I am taking a break, only about a week, that's all I can take really. So I won't be writing for a week, hell I won't even be online much since I think its a good idea to just abstain from everything for this little vacation. So since I am doing this I will not be writing which means you will probably not see an update for The Way We Never Should Have Been, (man that title needs to be shortened) until two or three weeks from now. I am sorry but I feel better that way. In the meantime just be patient and review this chapter. I will be back as soon as I can.


	4. Life Ruined?

"**So you've ruined your life"**

I kept staring at those words on the pamphlet Dr. Hibbert gave me after he announced I was pregnant. I am not ready for this, not at all. It felt like a stone had fallen into the pit of my stomach, and I wanted to throw up. But I knew it was only the baby that was inside, the one that had given me morning sickness for the past few weeks, the one that was now ruining my life. I could not believe I had let myself stoop so low with Homer the night we joined the castle club. Granted I love him dearly, but I don't think we are actually ready for this.

We don't have the right jobs for us to take care of this child; I still live with my mother and my sisters. Homer lives on his own, but how much can he do for me when he barely even finished high school? If I got a new job, it wouldn't be for very long, I would have to take care of the baby. I can't ask my mother for money, she has my sisters to take care of. So what should I do?

I'm so upset and thinking so hard about this that I don't notice that I'm crying until I hear Homer call my name beside me. It isn't long before he wraps his arms around me while I start crying heavily on his shoulder, unable to contain myself as I continue to hear myself say that my life is ruined.

"Hey…hey now sweetie, don't cry. Everything will be fine," Homer says as he pats me softly on my back.

"No it won't, the pamphlet even said our lives our ruined," I reply as I show him the book.

Homer calmly takes the pamphlet out of my hand and glances at it for a quick moment before ripping it in half and throwing it in the trash. "Now you don't have to listen to it" He wipes his hands and smiles, I can't help but give him a weak smile back at him for just a moment before I let the tears fall down again.

"I'm so sorry Homie, I'm just so scared," I reply, I can feel myself shaking as I say this.

"Why is that?" Homer asks.

"We are barely making enough money as it is with our jobs, we never went to college, and I still live with my mother. I just know they will be so angry when they find out, they aren't fond of you at all, I know my mother will hound me about how I ruined my life with you for the rest of her life. I can't even bare to think what my sisters will do to me. I feel like I'm gonna fail as a mother."

Homer let out a sigh; he could tell this was going to be very difficult for me. I don't know if he felt at fault at all, I wasn't going to ask, he would tell me if he did any way. But would he want to be a father? I heard him let out a loud "d'oh" after Dr. Hibbert gave us the news. Would he be here for me these next nine months? Well eight since I didn't know about this right away. I look down at my stomach. You can't even tell I'm pregnant yet, there is a small bump just below my stomach, but not significant enough, but I know it will grow bigger and I can only stand by and do nothing as it grows. I wish this wouldn't happen to me, I'm so scared and I continue to let the tears fall down freely.

Suddenly, I feel Homer's strong hand lift my head up and wipe the tears that are falling down my face. He looks me in the eyes, eyes that seem to tell me things would be okay. It was a shock to him too, I know this, but now he seems to be calm and ready for this unexpected occurrence. He smiles at me as he wipes one more tear away.

"We can fix all that, we have eight months before the baby comes and I can look for a better job for both of us, one that the three of us will survive on. Maybe we can even get a place of our own, away from your mom and those two sisters of yours. Cheer up okay, we can do this. Just like you told me when I went to summer school and thought I would never graduate, you remember that sweetie?"

I let out a nod, of course I remember that. How could I forget? Poor Homer ended up in summer school after skipping a few weeks before prom because he was afraid to see me after what he did to me the night before the forensics tournament. He wanted to go out with me, I said yes until he admitted that he only asked to be tutored so he could get to know me better. We spent all night studying and I lost the forensics meet because of him. I ended up going with Artie Ziff who turned out to be too grabby and made him take me home. I had not seen Homer at all those few weeks until he tried to pick me up at the prom and admitted he was just avoiding me. But after what happened, I knew he should have let me take him.

I picked him up as he walked home and we both talked things over that night, I agreed to give him a chance and in the next few weeks I helped him study, but it was not enough, and he didn't graduate in the spring. I told him he needed to try again, and he took the classes he failed in during the summer. It was hard for him, especially since algebra was not a strong subject for him. I was persistent though and usually acted as his conscience, never letting him go to parties unless he did all his work or studied. He wanted to give up so many times, until I told him that he needed to graduate for me, so that we could be together. I told him he could do it. Thank goodness that helped him, and he passed the class with a C. He got a B in his other two classes which made him even happier.

"If you think about it, having a baby is like passing an algebra class. You think you'll fail, but in the end, you find out you did better than you expected," Homer said.

I let out a smile before he hugs me tightly again and pats my pregnant belly. "Do you agree with me Junior; she will never fail as a mother, will she? I'm not worried are you?"

I give Homer a weak laugh; he doesn't seem worried at all. I hope he'll be like this when the baby is born; it's really a lot harder than you realize. I had to help my Aunt Nelly with her newborn when I was ten. A lot of diaper changes and feedings. She was a surprise, but Aunt Nelly couldn't be happier. Perhaps once the baby gets here, everything will be alright, especially since Homer is not angry.

"If you're like this now, I'll bet you'll be a good father," I reply.

"Of course Marge, I'm actually excited that this is happening." Homer replies with a big grin.

Who knows, this could turn out to be one of the greatest experiences of our lives. And I have the man I love beside me to get me through it.

* * *

><p>AN: Betcha weren't expecting this to pop up any time soon were you? I kept forgetting to finish this for Chnprod, she had asked for it for a good year or so now. I finally remembered to do it after I saw her recent picture she put up, it inspired me for some odd reason even though it wasn't even about this chapter, but something more tragic and sad. It took me longer too because I really had no idea what I was supposed to write, I was worried I would say the same thing like in the first chapter. Then back in May, she put up a picture of what she wanted and I told her I would finally work on it after I was done with The Way We Shouldn't Be. But when the time came, I never had the motivation. Heck I haven't done much of my original story either and because I haven't written much I've been sort of down in the dumps. Now that I did this though, I feel better, but I know I probably could have done better with this, but then again it has been six months. And Chnprod has a very different view of Homer than what you see in the show, a lot more loving and caring, so if he seems off well, I was trying to go by her ideas. I hope she likes this though; I did have a nice time writing it, even though it was shorter than what I'm used to. If anyone wants to see the drawing she put up that is based off of what I wrote, it will be in my profile.

So there you go, Hope and Expectations is finally completed. But I have a question for you guys. I noticed I have 19 stories up, and I really want to make it an even 20, but I have no idea what to write. I was hoping you guys could help me come up with an idea. One more Simpsons one shot from me. It can be anything, drama, humor, action, you name it. Whoever gives me the best idea I will write it. So yeah, put your thinking caps on and help me out.

See you all really soon and please review.


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